MBTF lauds PUI student’s robotic work featured in Australian book

DAGUPAN CITY – Mayor Belen T. Fernandez lauded the work of three students of the Pangasinan Universal Institute (PUI) whose concept of developing a Rescue Optimization Boot-Vest or ROB – Vest for K9 dogs was featured in the Emerging Technologies and Applications book published in Australia.

The three PUI students–Jillian Madison Sim Fernandez, Mathea Flynne Tan Sim and Biatrice Gail Borja Wong– participated in the 3rd Australian Robotics Challenge and Symposium held at the Griffith University in Gold Coast, Australia on October 28-30 last year.

Copies of the book that featured work of the three were turned over to the Division Office of the Department of Education here on October 4 to help inspire and expose public school students to the concept of developing robots, like what the three students presented in Australia.

The copies were received by Mayor Fernandez and Schools Division Superintendent Lorna G. Bugayong along with Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Lourdes Servito, all Program Supervisors, District Supervisors and School Principals, from Philippine Robotics Founder Melvin Matulak.

Mr. Matulak said this was the first time that a Filipino concept in developing robots was featured in that Australian book.

The ROB-Vest is equipped with different sensors and tools to enhance a dog’s tracking capabilities for survivors during search and rescue operations, especially after the occurrence of an earthquake.

The ROB-Vest is the concept presented by the three students was especially developed to augment the search and rescue dogs with robotics technology in the aftermath of a disaster.

Lauding the concept, Mayor Fernandez saaid, “Saving lives is one of the most difficult things to do especially during and after the occurrence of a disaster. This is why we are doing our best to equip our city especially the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and the Public Alert Response Monitoring Center (PARMC) with the latest technology like LIDAR, a tsunami warning device, rescue boats and devices, trucks among other things”, Mayor Fernandez said.

” I am happy to note that these young minds were able to develop a robot which will help canines search for survivors of an earthquake,” Fernandez added.

She thanked Mr. Matulak for copies of the book given to the Public Schools so that other students may also find themselves in developing useful robots. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO)